sentence after trial would have been 18 years. From that he deducted one-third due to Sweeney's co-operation and his guilty plea at the outset. Had there been a determinate sentence of 12 years (rather than the life sentence the judge imposed) Sweeney would have been released on licence after 6 years. From that the judge deducted the time Sweeney had spent in custody awaiting trial which meant Sweeney could not be considered for parole until he had served five years and 108 days. On 10 July 2006, it was decided the case would not be referred to the Court of Appeal, as the sentence had been calculated in accordance with the legislation enacted by the-then Labour government. The victim's mother said she was "Gut-wrenchingly sick" at the decision. Public criticism The sentence created a controversy in Wales largely because it was reported that the sentence was "less than six years". John Reid called the sentence "unduly lenient". Then- Prime Minister Tony Blair backed Reid's criticism. Nick Clegg said it was "rank hypocrisy for Reid to blame judges for sentences which are a direct consequence of recent legislation introduced by this government". Lord Morris of Aberavon QC, attorney general in the late 1990s, said he would have been "extremely annoyed" by Reid's intervention. Ex-High Court judge Sir Oliver Popplewell said: "I think it's unwise for the home secretary to poke his nose into legal affairs." Lord Ramsbotham urged Blair "to shut up" and accused him of enacting policy changes which caused more problems than they solved. The girl's mother has called for tougher sentences. References External links The Guardian Channel 4 IC Wales New Crimininologist 1982 births Living people Welsh people convicted of rape Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by England and Wales Welsh prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment British people convicted of kidnapping British people convicted of indecent assault British people convicted of sexual assault 21st-century Welsh criminals